The Spring Break Vandy on Madison Avenue trip was truly a renewing experience. As a graduating senior, I am pursuing a career in marketing within the media and entertainment industries. However, as many seniors do, I have recently found myself a bit discouraged waiting to hear back from job applications and networking attempts. The VMA trip left me with a renewed drive and sense of hope towards my chosen career path. Heading into the home stretch of my senior year, the opportunity to connect with and learn from Vanderbilt Alumni about the job hunt process was exactly what I needed.
The VMA trip made stops to traditional media companies like NBCUniversal and Viacom. We were also able to connect with Vanderbilt alumni who work for talent and ad agencies like William Morris Endeavor and Ogilvy & Mather, as well as members of the consumer communications department at Facebook and marketing departments at Citigroup and ESPN. Each Vanderbilt Alumni passed along a unique set of advice which helped shape my understanding of the industry and job search moving forward.
Some of the most memorable advice came from speakers at Ogilvy, Viacom, and ESPN. At Ogilvy, we were able to talk to CEO of the company, Brian Fetherstonhaugh. Two things he made sure to let us know is that 1) building relationships is about quality, not quantity and 2) the job hunt process is a WAR that you can only fight through. The second statement really struck me, reminding me that persistence is key in order to reach my career goals. At Viacom, we were able to talk to three Vanderbilt Graduates from ’13, ’14 and ’89. Each told us unique stories about how they were able to reach their current spot in their career. But one thing was clear when I left that meeting — Show the companies you apply and interview with that you are hungry. Make sure they know and you emphasize what you can do for them, and how you can add value to their department.
Finally, my favorite stop of the trip was at ESPN. Myself and three other trip participants were able to have a lunchtime sit down with Willis Hulings, a class of 2012 graduate who works on brand marketing for College Football. Because we were such a small group, Willis was able to walk us through his thought process of creating a marketing campaign for the college football playoffs. Although I am pursuing a career in marketing, my coursework focuses more on rhetoric than application of media related skillsets. Being able to see how a sports related marketing campaign is developed was extremely impactful in reinforce my desire to pursue marketing. It also didn’t hurt that I was able to learn from someone experienced in the field!
Overall, the VMA trip to New York City was a spectacular way to spend my Spring Break! Connecting and learning from Vanderbilt alumni is an amazing opportunity, and as an inaugural member of this trip, I look forward to seeing how it continues to grow and help other Vanderbilt students interested in the media and communications fields!
-Lauren Cheeseborough